Our History

The idea behind Clean up Nepal 2013 began in 2011 when Dr Neelam Pradhananga saw first-hand the positive impact community mobilization can have on the improvement of surroundings in Sydney during the Clean up Australia campaigns. Reflecting on the rubbish accumulated along the sides of the road on her bus trips from Bhaktapur to Kathmandu, and realizing the need for a program like Clean up Australia in Nepal, she began to research clean-up activities in Nepal. This led to her discovery that many organisations were already undertaking one-off cleanup activities.

Neelam realized that what was needed was an ongoing cleanup movement to bring about behavioral change – a positive movement that embraced and provided a common platform for individuals, communities, and organisations working in the environmental sector to undertake programs and events that could help to clean up areas and break the cycle of never-ending rubbish accumulation. Neelam began to explore organisations working in Nepal and started to write to many of them about the possibility of working together. One of these organisations was The Small Earth Nepal. With the help of like-minded friends in Nepal and Australia, Small Earth Australia (independent of The Small Earth Nepal), an organisation set up to promote cross-border partnerships between Nepal and Australia, was incorporated in New South Wales under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 in July 2012.

Clean up Nepal first began working in Nepal in January 2013. Keep Itahari Clean was Clean up Nepal’s first local partner. They commenced with weekly cleanup activities in 2013 and have maintained continuity to this. In the process, they have won the hearts of the community in Itahari and other stakeholders. The first nationwide cleanup event was organised by Small Earth Australia and The Small Earth Nepal on 21 September 2013. It was the largest cleanup movement to-date in Nepal facilitated by Clean up Nepal and organised by 12 National Partners and 120 Local Partners. 15 430 volunteers took part at 45 locations in 20 cities and collected 84, 564.5 kilos of waste on the day. In 2014, Clean up Nepal has concentrated its efforts on strengthening its team in Nepal and globally. Clean up Nepal has also registered as a non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation in Nepal with chapters in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Pokhara and Chitwan, and affiliates in Australia, USA and Canada.

TIMELINE

Prior to 2011

Dr Neelam Pradhananga takes part in Clean up Australia

2011 – 2012

Dr Neelam Pradhananga undertakes desktop research in Australia on organisations working in the solid waste management sector

2012

Gaps in solid waste management identified; Decision made to work with local communities using a ground-up, grassroots approach

2013

Clean up Nepal commences operations as a program of Small Earth Australia (Sydney-based not-for-profit)

Jan 2013

Keep Itahari Clean joins as Clean up Nepal’s first local partner

15 Feb 2013

Clean up Nepal Facebook group launched

June 2013

The Small Earth Nepal (Kathmandu-based NGO) joins Small Earth Australia to coordinate the first nationwide cleanup

21 September 2013

First nationwide cleanup event – Clean up Nepal 2013 – held at 20 cities throughout Nepal